Speaking during a radio interview on private broadcaster RMF24's "Rozmowa o 7:00" show, Dorożała pointed out that PLN 1.5 billion (approximately USD 375 million), originally allocated for environmental protection, was being improperly spent on road construction, through the National Fund for Environmental Protection. He stressed the need to redirect at least part of these funds to combat the pressing issue of illegal waste dumps.
Dorożała also shed light on a disturbing audit of the country’s State Forests, revealing about PLN 100 million (approximately USD 25 million) in "irregularities". State Forests is a government agency responsible for management of state-owned Polish forests on behalf of the Polish State Treasury.
The irregularities included "money spent on promotional campaigns that coincidentally took place in the electoral districts of certain politicians of the previous government, including the former director of the State Forests, who was a candidate for the Sejm (Lower House of the Parliament), running on a Law and Justice (PiS) party ticket," Dorożała said.
Against this backdrop, Dorożała acknowledged the country's longstanding neglect in hazardous waste management, resulting from a decades-long lack of a coherent policy.
He announced that later today, Minister Paulina Hennig-Kloska would present a special memo to the Prime Minister, detailing immediate and long-term strategic actions. These include strengthening the General Inspectorate for Environmental Protection and increasing its workforce to ensure systematic oversight and coordination with law enforcement and local governments.
(rt/jh)
Source: RMF24
